Career Corner - Making Speeches Can Help Your Career

Making speeches can be a powerful tool in generating
new job opportunities and driving your career.

“You will discover that by giving speeches, your
credibility sky-rockets. In essence, you are showcasing
your talents, expertise and confidence,” says Don
Straits, CEO and “Dragon Slayer” of Corporate
Warriors. “Frequently, after your presentation,
you will be invited by a member of the audience to speak
to another group. You may also be asked to work with
companies in a consulting, contract or employment role
to help them achieve success. Plus, a list of your presentations
on your resume is a grand-slam home run.”

You can also use speeches at local civic organizations
as an opportunity to market your business or services,
and to drum up new sales contacts.

The first step is to generate speaking opportunities:

Analyze your strong knowledge points – What
do you know that would be valuable to others? For example,
an administrator could speak on organization skills, “Out
the Old, In With the New: Organization Secrets that Will
Save You Thousands of Dollars”; an executive could
speak on leadership, “Go Where No Others Have
Gone and Leave a Trail to Follow.”

Locate an audience – local clubs, nonprofit
organizations, community groups, church groups, social
groups and trade associations are always in search
of speakers.

Approach groups with your topic, state why it is
relevant to their audience and show them a summary
of your experience as someone with a vast amount of information
to share with the group.

Next, overcome your fears with a few simple techniques:

Breathe deeply before you walk out in front of your audience.
Breathe in through your mouth, hold the oxygen in
your lungs, and then expel through your nostrils. The
fresh oxygen eases the tension and makes the mind work
better.

Know your introduction; practice many times
so that it flows smoothly.